Refugees and Migrants

Cardinal Nichols: Statement on the extension of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme

03/07/2017 6:35 pm

His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has issued the following statement in response to the Home Secretary Amber Rudd’s announcement that the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS) will be extended with immediate effect to include non-Syrians fleeing the conflict area.

"I am very pleased that Her Majesty’s Government has made this important extension to the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme with immediate effect.

"The devastating conflict in and around Syria has affected people of many different nationalities. That is why the Catholic community has been calling for our resettlement programme to be made accessible to the most vulnerable refugees whatever their background.

"Resettlement opportunities for those who have particular needs that cannot be met in the region are a vital complement to the international community’s wider humanitarian response.

"As Catholics we will continue to play our part both through supporting the local Church’s relief efforts in the region and through the Community Sponsorship Scheme for refugees arriving in the UK."